AT&T Invests $2 Million in Communities In Schools To Develop the Next Generation of American Workers, Innovators and Community Leaders

Communities In Schools (CIS), the leading organization dedicated to empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life, today announced a $2 million contribution from AT&T that will boost the impact and sustainability of the entire Communities In Schools network.

With 1 in 4 of our young people not graduating with their class, this type of support is critical to addressing the high school dropout crisis. CIS school-based site coordinators help connect students at risk of dropping out with academic support, mentoring, counseling, after-school programs, career development, intervention, health care and other resources.

This investment by AT&T in CIS will support a variety of national and local initiatives including:

Building the corps of experienced and effective CIS Site Coordinators, by continuing support for AT&T funded positions in 10 communities, and extending AT&T support for up to 20 additional communities;

Assuring the highest quality of implementation of the CIS model across the country through a new talent development program;

Developing innovative tools to maximize productivity and support data-driven decision-making at all local affiliates and CIS school sites, using AT&T-funded sites as test beds for developing technology, including site coordinators using handheld tablets to track student performance in real time; and

Piloting a CIS-AT&T job mentoring program, through which AT&T employees would Engage with students in a variety of onsite activities to support career exploration and readiness.

"AT&T has demonstrated unparalleled leadership in supporting efforts to create a 21st century education system and American workforce." said Daniel Cardinali, President of Communities In Schools. "We are grateful for AT&T's support and long-standing collaboration."

Independent evaluation of CIS by ICF International found that an additional 48 students per thousand graduate when the CIS program is fully implemented. Based on that finding, EMSI, one of the nation's leading economic modeling firms, determined that every dollar invested in the CIS produces an average of $11.60 in economic benefit for local communities.

"We want to invest in organizations that are making a measurable impact on the students they serve and Communities in Schools is doing just that," said Beth Adcock Shiroishi, Vice President of Sustainability and Philanthropy, AT&T. "By coupling this contribution with the power of our employees, we hope to take our collaboration to the next level and help even more students graduate high school ready for college and careers."

AT&T and Communities In Schools share a sense of urgency to advance the national movement focused on improving student success in an increasingly competitive global economy that demands a skilled workforce and informed citizenry.

Since 2008, AT&T and the AT&T Foundation have provided more than $8.5 million in funding to Communities In Schools and local affiliates. This support is part of AT&T Aspire, AT&T's $350 million commitment to education. Launched in 2008, AT&T Aspire is one of the largest-ever corporate commitments to address high school success and workforce readiness.